<p>For the "meaningful experience" type essay, would significant weight loss be an acceptable topic? I am a female and I have read that an essay on weight loss could elude to anorexia (which is do not have). What are your thoughts? Would this be a good topic?</p>
<p>Also, for the essay format is it regular spaced and without indentation? Or is it MLA format with margins, etc.? Thank you!</p>
<p>I think that migh be an interesting essay topic if you prove personal growth instead of vanity or anorexia.</p>
<p>I see weight loss has being a superficial subject, though if you can somehow tie it with your having a zen moment or something, it might be good. I would actually avoid the subject because you do not want the adcom to miscontrue that you have self image issues. I probably would only write about this if you were so overweight that it was affecting your overall health and you somehow managed to overcome obstacles. If you just lost a few vanity pounds, I would stay away from the subject.</p>
<p>Good point fudgemaster. More than 20-30 pounds and it'll fly.</p>
<p>agree with morsvenit. It would be better if you could abstract the lessons you learned and write about that, with the weight loss becoming more the vehicle for those lessons instead of the main topic. But this is going to be difficult to pull off; I would suggest trying for a different topic unless this is the best you have.</p>
<p>Hehe.. I think Kristina V has a good idea. I myself lost around 30 pounds during my sophomore year. This was a very hard experience and there sure is alot to talk about. It takes alot of determination to lose weight.</p>
<p>Well since freshmen year i have lost over 70 pounds. I went from being obese to a healthy weight. Yes, I have suffered body image problems because of unhealthy weight but because of the weight loss I feel like a different, healthier person. Obviously, a weight loss of 70 pounds (and counting) will not seem like a vanity type thing. I believe it would make a good essay topic because it shows that i am a hardworking, persevering person with goals that I have and will stick to. Does anyone agree?</p>
<p>Kristina,
I agree with you, and I also have read and judged lots of student essays for scholarship committees. As you describe it, your essay would highlight your character and would give you a chance to reflect on what the experience taught you. If you were writing about anorexia, that would not be a good topic because the colleges might be wary of admitting someone who might have an eating disorder again when confronted with the inevitable stress of college. Your experience, however, is different, and sounds like a good topic.</p>
<p>Thank you Northstarmom! I actually just began the first draft of my essay and see it as working well for me in the future!</p>
<p>So hypothetically what if someone wrote about their eating disorder? Like if an anorexic or bulemic person wrote about how it changed them and made it better(obviously only if they overcame it), would that make colleges turned off?</p>
<p>if you went from an unhealthy weight to a healthy one, that is very good. you will ahve lots to write about too. that also shouldnt lead an adcom to think anorexea, but instead health. i guess overcomming overeating and undereating shows that you are mature and a doer. i think it is good to write about it.</p>
<p>As has been stated before in similar threads on CC, writing about things like one's mental health problems (including eating disorders) or alcohol/drug use is not a good idea even if one appears to be over the difficulties. Colleges know that college is a stressful time, and admissions officers can very justifiably fear that someone who had emotional problems while living with their family is at risk of having emotional problems when going to college. Since such problems can be lethal, colleges can be wary of accepting students who appear to have histories that could lead to their having major emotional problems in college.</p>
<p>Consequently, it's wise not to write essays about things like that. If one's grades were affected by mental health problems, let your GC address that if necessary, write a supplementary essay about how you've successfully overcome that problem, and what steps you'll take in college to help ensure that you will be able to successfully meet the challenge of college without having further emotional difficulties.</p>
<p>The important thing to consider is that this essay isn't going to be about weight loss for the sake of weight loss. It's not just about appearances and vanity. The girl considers it a meaningful experience in her life. If someone overcame an eating disorder, or any other mental/physical health issue, he/she could write about that. Why not? If you can show character development, good for you. Obviously, you should be tasteful and not include details that would turn off admissions officers. Don't say anything unnecessary--you want to look good here!
But if someone lost 5 pounds and got that bikini body she always wanted...that's way different and I doubt anyone would be so stupid as to write an essay about that :)</p>
<p>" If someone overcame an eating disorder, or any other mental/physical health issue, he/she could write about that. Why not? If you can show character development, good for you. "</p>
<p>When it comes to any kind of mental health issue, college officials know that college is a stressful time and many previously emotionally healthy students buckle under the stress and become seriously depressed, develop eating disorders, etc.</p>
<p>Colleges know that students who've previously had emotional difficulties are at higher than average risk of developing emotional difficulties while in college, and some of those difficulties can result in the students' death. Colleges also know that because living at college means a lot of independence and being around people who don't know you well, students who develop emotional problems may not be noticed and therefore may die or become seriously ill. Consequently, to avoid such things happening, many college try to avoid admitting students with a history of serious emotional problems.</p>
<p>In addition, the essay is supposed to let colleges know about the aspects of a student that would make the student a desireable addition to the college campus. Given a choice of two otherwise equal candidates -- a student who writes about overcoming an eating disorder and a student who writes about, for instance, doing community service with kids from dysfunctional homes, the college probably would select the latter student because that student clearly has a lot to add to the college community while the college would fear that the former student would need more careful supervision to make sure that the student is OK in a new environment.</p>
<p>If anyone doesn't believe me, just go on the Internet or read a college guide about essay writing. Virtually all suggest not writing about things like overcoming mental illness, drug addiction, etc. Instead, focus on other things that show what you have to offer without raising concerns that you'd be vulnerable to a relapse of a previous serious condition.</p>
<p>
[quote]
As has been stated before in similar threads on CC, writing about things like one's mental health problems (including eating disorders) or alcohol/drug use is not a good idea even if one appears to be over the difficulties. Colleges know that college is a stressful time, and admissions officers can very justifiably fear that someone who had emotional problems while living with their family is at risk of having emotional problems when going to college.
[/quote]
This is why I'd suggest being very careful with or avoiding the weight-loss essay. Postively written, eg. "here's what I did and here's what I learned by doing so" it can be a powerful topic. However it is tempting to stray into other territory that may send up red flags. This would be writing about how other kids teased you, how you felt like an outsider, felt like you were missing out on things everyone else could do, etc. I'm not saying these things aren't true or didn't affect you, but that writing about them sounds alarms about the potential for emotional difficulties. That's why I cautioned earlier about this topic.</p>
<p>"This would be writing about how other kids teased you, how you felt like an outsider, felt like you were missing out on things everyone else could do, etc"</p>
<p>It would be perfectly fine to write about such things. Being teased or feeling like an outsider doesn't mean that one has a serious mental health problem. Those kind of feelings and experiences are an uncomfortable, but normal part of growin gup.</p>
<p>Being suicidal or having an eating disorder would mean that one has a serious mental health problem, and those are the things that are unwise to mention in essays.</p>
<p>Well, this is the beauty of these forums. You get to see 2 sides of many issues.</p>
<p>BTW I apologize if it seemed like I was putting words into Northstarmom's mouth; I should have made it clear that the advice I wrote was mine alone, not a continuation of her thoughts/recommendations.</p>